CadmiumGreen

For me I was doing a job somewhere that I needed to be able to be able to get out of if things got sticky. A pouch of Sovs would ensure I stood a good chance of paying my way to safety if the need arose.  
 
Then met my wife whose family lived in Perth (Australia).  Her father had collected bits of gold - both from fossiking In the Pilbara from the Perth Mint. We enjoyed talking gold and the odd visit to the Perth Mint.
Simple start for me!
 
 

@freefall said...My initial fascination with gold started when I was a kid. Like many households we always had an Argos or Index catalogue lying around that I would flick through when I was bored. As you would expect I spent a lot of time looking at all the toys but it was the jewellery section that really caught my eye. 
When I was a kid  Argos/Littlewoods catalogue's was use to look at the ladies underwear section.
As a child pawn/jewelry shops always got my attention, I could never pass one without looking at all the shiny metal things... I loved stories/films about pirates and buried treasure.
I remember digging in the a vacant council house front garden hoping to find  treasure. I even believed that there was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I was very gullible. I still am.
As an adult it all got forgotten about and precious metals/jewelry never played a part of it. Working - mortgage family- going out was the norm. All that changed when I watched a News program with this crazy guy called Max Keiser  talking about Gold/silver and this new thing called bitcoin. It took me right back to my childhood days, who'd have thought them shiny PM's had such an amazing and important role in history.
One day I might be that pirate who sails off into the sunset with the treasure the girl and the wind at my back.🤪.
 
 

My first exposure to gold coin is (when as a kid) I examined and fondled an 1868 Filipinas 4 Peso gold coin that was given to my father by my grandmother.
While in Canada in 1982, I became aware of the 1 troz gold Maple Leaf coin and wanted to acquire one. Later in the US, my first gold coin came in 1984 when my wife gifted me a 1983 China 1 troz gold Panda.

Gold as a concealable form for potential payment in an Escape and Evasion situation...Special Operation Forces during the war behind enemy lines. And John Wick!! Seriously because it serves as a retention of wealth and not buying senseless goods that aren’t needed. 

Gold as a concealable form for potential payment in an Escape and Evasion situation...Special Operation Forces during the war behind enemy lines. And John Wick!! Seriously because it serves as a retention of wealth and not buying senseless goods that aren’t needed. 

Gold as a concealable form for potential payment in an Escape and Evasion situation...Special Operation Forces during the war behind enemy lines. And John Wick!! Seriously because it serves as a retention of wealth and not buying senseless goods that aren’t needed. 

These are the 5 oz. America The Beautiful coins. I have several of each and am looking to sell off all the extras and try to gather a complete set.

I just watch Grumpy Dave the Golden Turtle spend my funds on the Shiny Golden Coins, he always seems to choose well. Bought a 1925 Gold Sovereign twenty years ago, added a few Gold Coins to my collection in the following years. in 2017 Peter Rabbit Colour 50p coins were Released I was back Hook Line and Sinker, quickly got back into collecting Silver and I became a Flipper of Silver. My Profits purchased Gold ! Have not looked back since, I have realised you can sell Silver and Commemorative coins at 50% mark up, so I keep Buying and Flipping, all profit's  go to Purchasing Gold ! Started my You Tube Channel with my Sidekick Grumpy Dave The Golden Turtle, Will continue until I loose interest or the Grim Reaper comes a Knocking.
I am having a Blast at the Moment, Love The SilverForum and YT Coinster's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I Love Coins ................................................... Me !!!!!!!

Gold as a concealable form for potential payment in an Escape and Evasion situation...Special Operation Forces during the war behind enemy lines. And John Wick!! Seriously because it serves as a retention of wealth and not buying senseless goods that aren’t needed. 

Nice to read your thoughts and opinions above, I got into Au, not too long ago (few years back) I see it as a savings mechanism and I try and buy as and when possible. When I do purchase I don't really appreciate the PM as much as I should but I'm not a real collector, more of a stacker. 
 
 

Personally I don’t know anyone else who collects gold so I’m interested to learn how other people got started, their motivations and what it means to them. What’s your story?

I'll start with my own.


 
My initial fascination with gold started when I was a kid. Like many households we always had an Argos or Index catalogue lying around that I would flick through when I was bored. As you would expect I spent a lot of time looking at all the toys but it was the jewellery section that really caught my eye. I liked all the birthstones and gems but my favourite pages were near the end of the jewellery section, it was all the gold chains. I used to sit and stare at the weights, purity and price of them for a reason I can’t fathom even to this day. The first piece of gold ever bought for me was by my mother when I got my ear pierced. I got a 9ct gold stud and hoop. A few years later after a fair amount of begging at shop windows she bought me a half sovereign ring and my brother a full sovereign. They were either lost or sold I guess and my gold story goes cold for a decade.

The financial crisis and great recession was my induction into the world of economics. I remember watching the TV as the queues formed outside Northern Rock and then like dominos the banks started to collapse. The government started QE and the bailouts commenced. What caused it? Where did this money come from? Who was going to pay it back? Pandora’s Box was open and my studies began. All the cash for gold shops appeared on the high street as the price took off - gold was more than just jewellery - gold shone bright once again. I seriously considered buying my first gold during this period but never followed through although my faith in the financial system was gone never to return. In the following years new terms and trends emerged. Help to buy, 0% finance, balance transfer credit cards, PCP car loans, early pension drawdowns and negative interest rates. I reasoned this was totally unsustainable, can only end in pain and it was time to prepare. I cleared all my debts then began living well within my means and saving in earnest. I knew what I had to do.

I bought my first gold from the Royal Mint. Three and a half ounces of pure gold were delivered by post the next day. When I opened the parcel and held the coins in my hands I was taken aback by the density, the purity, the colour. It was outside the financial system, untaxable, free from manipulation. It was perfect. It was that day I became a goldbug.

I’ve accumulated more incrementally and now it amounts to around half of my total assets. I’ve learned more about golds history as money and its universal appeal across ages and continents. I still don’t fully understand our love of gold which seems irrational but so is much of what we do. Gold is many things to many people but I view gold as the perfect way to store time. Immutable from government policy and excess in perfect parallel to its physical properties. I don’t care too much about price fluctuations because in the long run I’m as certain as I can be that gold will serve that purpose. During times like these it brings me comfort to know that I own gold and I’m sure I always will.

One More Sledgehammer, One More Nut
The Royal Mint 2010 Silver Proof Collection proved the only feasible means to securing the elusive definitive 2010 silver proof FDC £1 Shield of Arms, mintage of 1,241. A BU version was minted (1,551) but none have made themselves known to me.
All coins arrived in pristine condition - another good-looking set imo
Just three silver shieldbacks now required for the complete set of 75 £1 coins. (2011 and 2012 x 2, if anyone can help).

My first pm purchase. Thanks @SVcollector
 

I have a few 😂 

Lovely 1905 100 Kurus. Ottoman Empire Turkey. 

Just received today, absolutely over the moon. Thanks @Troy77 & @Derv. Great buying experience and fantastic care taken with packaging!

Won this date run of lovely condition Netherlands 25 Cents .640 silver coins, I only wanted one example of this coin but I won all of these for a very low bid, going to keep one (1940) and sell the other two (of which my boss wants first dibs next time I see her).
1941 was the last year that the Netherlands minted their own silver coins when the nazis invaded and stripped the country of anything of value, after this date the only silver Dutch coins were minted by various mints in the USA.
Production figures for the three coins are as follows
1939,  4,000,000
1940,  9,000,000
1941,  40,000,000
 

A happy little turtle from @Panda6Pack (mrs thetaller's a big fan of the critters) and some more @BackyardBullion poured silver for the collection from @Abyss

Shoutout to @grongla also for these 2 custom bars I asked for 1 is shiny & other is matte
 

Some new BYB bars, very happy
Now have the collection 2017-2018-2019-2020
 

Just received, thanks BYB

Lovely double florin from @AgD this morning. thanks  
Took me a while to work out where it should go in the folder- HC is 2s6d and a crown is 5s so I figured it goes between them as its 4s?

5 x  20oz Silver Bar by Scottsdale Mint Long Cast .999

1911 George V Sydney Mint sovereign bought from Sovereign Rarities. George V of Great Britain initially sought a career in the British Navy, but the premature death of his brother, Albert, placed him on the throne in 1910. However, it was not until 1911 that George’s portrait replaced that of Edward’s on coins. He played an active role supporting the troops during World War I. George’s last reputed words were: “Bugger Bognor!” (When told by his doctor he would soon be well enough to visit Bognor Regis.)
DESCRIPTION 
George V (1910-36), gold sovereign, 1911 S, Sydney Mint, Australia, bare head left, B.M. raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT:OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: (“George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India”), rev. struck en médaille, St. George on horseback slaying dragon with sword right, plumed helmet with three-strand streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, mint mark S at centre of ground-line, date in exergue, tiny B.P. raised in upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, edge milled, weight 8.00g (Bentley 727; McDonald 237; Marsh 271; M.C.E. 639; S.4003). Toned with light bag marks, otherwise good extremely fine. Ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 14 January 1992. Calendar year mintage 2,519,000.

My apologies for the slight overkill on the photos, but I just couldn't resist to share what I have found in a lovely package earlier today.
As the premiums on the regular bullion coins are too high for me (and pretty much everybody else... ), I decided to go for some collectible silver coins, which are all 1 oz silver coins but one.
In that sense, I have grown quite fond of the Tokelau designs, with the Terra 2020 (photo 1), Vivat Humanitas 2020 (2), Equilibrium 2019 (3), and the Chronos series of 2017, 2018, and 2019 (4 & 5).
From other countries/mints, I have gotten the Nikola Tesla series of 2018, 2019, and 2020 (6, 7 & 8), the Redback Spider 2020 (9), the Rectangle Dragon (10), the Laos Panthera Tiger (11), and finally the 10 oz Royal Arms 2020.